


An Unusual Fare

by methylviolet10b



Series: Sometimes Drabbles Evolve [5]
Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Angst and Humor, Drabble Sequence, Prompt Fic, and there's a horse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-14
Updated: 2013-02-14
Packaged: 2017-11-29 05:36:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/683440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/methylviolet10b/pseuds/methylviolet10b
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A cab-man notices things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Unusual Fare

**Author's Note:**

> A story told in a drabble sequence, written to fill the following prompts:
> 
> Drabble words: Machine, Webley, Cave, Pepper, Fear  
> Prompt: _Original Character POV of Holmes and Watson, of a situation which should be mundane but, for whatever reason, isn't_

  
  
  
**Machine**  
There’s not many as notices a cab-man and his horse. Oh, they’ll note you to hire and give their destination. And I make sure they see me long enough to pay up. But for all that, few actually s _ee_ a man, a person – and for all that most pay heed, it might as well be a machine in front of the cab instead of a horse.  
  
The bloke that flagged me down was like that. His two companions, though, were different. They saw me – and the tall, thin one near flayed me to the bone with those pale grey eyes.  
  
  
 **Webley**  
They caught my attention, those two. So I paid more heed than the norm in turn. The tall fellow struck me as a man I wouldn’t care to cross, and looked grim as granite to boot. His friend – and you could see the two were close – had kinder lines in his face, but the way he held himself told me as plain as his moustache that he’d been a soldier once.  
  
You don’t forget how a soldier looks, once you’ve been in the Army.  
  
Nor do you forget the look of a Webley, like the one the third man held.  
  
  
 **Cave**  
The third fellow didn’t mean me to see the piece. He had it mostly concealed under a muffler. But from the way he leaned against the military-looking bloke, I figured he was ready to pull the trigger, should the thin man offer any trouble.  
  
I didn’t dare cause a scene, not directly, lest someone start bleeding. But I kept my eyes and ears open for chances as I started on our way, and I heard the thin man speak.  
  
“I won’t cave in to your demands, Nellis.”  
  
“Oh, I think you will, if you want the doctor to remain healthy.”  
  
  
 **Pepper**  
If I wasn’t sure something havey-cavey was going on before, I was sure of it now. And I wanted no part of it, but being already _in_ it, t’was up to me to try and put a stop to it. Hopefully without anyone winding up catching a bullet.  
  
Luckily it was Pepper in the traces today. He’s a good horse, is Pep, as long as you know how to handle him, but there’s a reason for the name.  
  
It didn’t take more than a block to find something he’d start, shy, and rear at, given a chance.  
  
I gave it.  
  
  
 **Fear**  
The commotion Pepper kicked up was followed immediately by a shot. I flinched and nearly dropped the reins. As quick as I could I brought the horse back under control, tied off, and flung myself off the driver’s seat.  
  
A quick glance into the passenger box settled my fear. The third fellow was sprawled out cold over the lap of the doctor, who was grinning at the thin man.  
  
“Swift thinking, good sir,” the thin man cried, spotting me. “I’m afraid you’ve a new bullet-hole in your awning, but I’ll pay for repairs.” He held out his hand. “Sherlock Holmes.”

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted July 17, 2012


End file.
